Niki Sharma, Attorney General, has released the following statement marking International Safer Internet Day:

“Every year, people around the world mark the second Tuesday in February as Safer Internet Day, allowing us to recognize both the potential benefits and risks that come with technological advancement. As online tools evolve, so does our responsibility to keep people safe.

“While technology has helped us to stay connected, too often it can be used to intimidate, exploit or cause harm, especially to children, youth and vulnerable adults. Just recently, the news has been flooded with stories about artificial-intelligence-generated sexual ‘deepfakes’ and intimate images of real people, including minors. We have all heard cases of cyberbullying, sextortion and other actions that can have serious and lasting impacts. In the worst cases, these harms can even lead to death.

“That is why I continue to make online safety a top priority. We want people in B.C. to benefit from technology without sacrificing their safety or dignity.

“Through the Intimate Images Protection Act (IIPA), B.C. provides some of the strongest protections in Canada against the sharing of intimate images without consent, including AI-generated ones. This law recognizes the harm caused by violations of people’s autonomy and helps people pursue justice and get their harmful content removed quicker. Even better, the law is working, with nearly 400 disputes resolved since coming into force. We’re also working to raise the amount victims can receive from perpetrators to $75,000, 14 times higher than the current limit.

“On the federal level, Parliament is currently considering Bill C-16: the Protecting Victims Act, which reflects many of B.C.’s priorities. It contains proposals to better protect children online, including by ensuring deepfakes are covered by criminal offences targeting the non-consensual distribution of intimate images. If passed, this would work alongside the IIPA to expand the legal options available to people in B.C. facing intimate image abuse. I am optimistic that this bill, and the new online harms bill the federal government has confirmed it is working on, will go a long way in regulating the disturbing rise in social media exploitation we are seeing.

“We also continue to monitor what other jurisdictions, such as Australia, are doing to regulate social media misuse. As always, we are ready to fight for whatever approach works best to protect children and people in B.C.

“There is still considerable work to be done. Technology evolves at a breakneck speed, and bad-faith actors adapt just as fast. We are committed to keeping up and always exploring new methods to protect young people, hold platforms accountable and adapt our laws and policies to meet the realities of a rapidly changing digital world.

“Innovation and progress cannot come at the expense of people’s safety and dignity. On this Safer Internet Day, let us all recommit to online spaces built on respect, consent and accountability, so we can move towards a better future, together.”

Learn More:

• To learn more about the Intimate Images Protection Service, visit https://takebackyourimages.gov.bc.ca/
• To learn more about B.C.’s recommendations on federal Criminal Code reforms, visit https://news.gov.bc.ca/33130